Dusk
by Mikomi13244
Summary: Mikomi hides a dark secret from everyone in her life. Fleeing from village to village, she learns not to love. That all changes with Team 7. As questions build, she finds herself exposing things that could destroy her-break her broken heart. HIATUS
1. Chapter 1: NyuSu

So, chapter one is up! The chapters are rough Japanese translations (probably botched). So if you're able to translate stuff, please help... The title is in English at the beginning of each chapter.

* * *

**New Nest**

_So, they took me. Just like the villages before. They will want to use me. After all, I am not human and therefore so much less. How can a broken heart break again?_

_It won't be the first time._

_But, when they learn what I really am, they'll turn and betray me, like the villages before._

_It won't be the first time._

_I was always different. But, in the beginning I had hope. Hope that one day I would be accepted as who I was; hope that people would look past the past. But with my bloody history, I guess things like that just aren't possible._

It was on a clear and crisp September morning that she strode pass the wooden gates of Konoha, scarred with peeling bits of paint. A small buzz of excitement filled her with hope—still not to be tamped down from many failed attempts.

She laughed at the irony of it all. How was it that the one thing she had left was her namesake, hope?

At precisely eleven o'clock, the door to the Hokage's office swung open. Formalities were exchanged in a harried fashion before she was assigned a team and house. Deciding to rest from her grueling escape out of Mist, Mikomi excused herself and left for the red brick building that would protect her from the seasons for the next couple of years.

Perched on a relatively empty hill near the Uchiha Mansion, the small shelter reminded her of what she really was. A twinge of pain nagged at her heart. It was so lonely and apart from the rest of the village. Just like her.

In a rare moment of softness, she wallowed in dreams of what could have been. Her family, her friends, her life—they were all wiped out. And there was no one to blame for it but her. Like the eternity of nights that came before this one, sleep took a long time coming.

_"I have been betrayed before,"_ was the last thought she had before falling into an uneasy slumber, riddled with dreams.

_The air around her body was humming with various sorts of weapons. Upon returning from an ANBU mission, a team of rogue ninja had caught her on the way home. Deciding that killing them was not an option; she pumped chakra into her feet and sped away, bringing the team closer to home. The guards at the Red Gate pulled out kunai and lowered themselves into a traditional taijutsu stance._

_She had underestimated their strength. The incoming ninja adjusted in mere seconds and formed a tight, defensive spiral. After deflecting a volley of sharp weapons, they changed formation. Obviously well-trained and cooperative, they smoothed into the sharp arrow of an offense. The two guards at the door were outnumbered and outclassed. With a quick snap, one of them fell—neck jutting out at an odd angle._

_"Tell the Mizukage that we will spare the village if he gives her up," a harsh voice grated from behind one of their masks. A quick nod in Mikomi's direction indicated who they meant. Not wanting to join his fallen comrade, the other guard ran off. Jumping from roof top to roof top, he drew closer to the pale blue building in the distance._

_"Mizukage-sama. They tracked her here!" he managed in a flustered tone, "Let her go. I checked the city perimeters and noticed three other teams waiting in ambush at each of our gates. It's not an empty threat. Let her go! She has only meant trouble to us. She is a monster. She does not belong!"_

_His gushing words seemed to have an effect on the old man sitting behind the table. Deciding the safety of his people and their general happiness were more important, he delivered his verdict._

_"Go."_

_A slight shift in the shadows cast by the morning sun acknowledged her understanding. She had upset her 'benefactors' again and outstayed her welcome. It was always like this. Always._

Dry of tears, not a single drop of moisture slid from the crack of her eye as she replayed the rejection in her sleep.

* * *

He couldn't take his eyes off her, the new girl. Females in Konoha around his age were supposed to be empty airheads determined on fangirling him. His interest peaked even more when he saw the sadness lurking in the black—or was it gold?—depths of her eyes. There was that crown too, a thin circlet of gold resting on her forehead. The delicate decoration exuded pure power and a forbidden weight. Like the rest of his classmates, Uchiha Sasuke leaned forward eagerly to hear her introduction to the class.

There was none. She simply slid into a seat in front of him and opened a textbook. Iruka-sensei droned on about chakra control. Noting the many nodding heads in the room, his teacher immediately called for a demonstration. Not a single hand went up.

Sighing, Iruka decided this would be a good time to introduce the class to what their new peer could do.

"Mikomi, if you would be so kind."

With a gentle sigh and slight nudge of the circlet on her head, she hitched herself up from the wooden bench and moved towards the front. All eyes were on her, not wavering at all when Naruto, always the class clown, sneezed twice in quick succession while sniffing new ink. He looked up quickly to check if any action had happened up front, subconsciously smearing ink down the bridge of his nose and cheek.

She pulled a kunai out of its holster and tossed it up, watching lazily as it descended in a perfect parabola—landing face down in front of Sasuke. Startled, he looked up and met her almond eyes, which were shut in concentration.

_Dragon._

_Ram._

_Tiger._

_Dragon._

A delicate cloud of golden chakra, perfectly combined physical and mental energy, glittered to life. It solidified quickly into a translucent orb in which she was standing. Her eyes, glittering with challenge, rose to meet Sasuke's. Dipping her head, she nodded at the kunai in front of him.

"_She wants me to attack her,"_ Sasuke thought, slightly perturbed at how sure she was of the defense. It looked thin and breakable from his second row seat.

In the blink of an eye, the kunai left the table and settled into his hand. He weighed it expertly and adjusted the balance of the cool steel in the middle of his palm and threw. The weapon rebounded off of the shield at a sharp angle and returned to him. Raising her hand from her side, she stopped it inches from his nose. The kunai hovered horizontal to the table for a few seconds before swiveling around and returning to its proper owner. Opening her eyes and exhaling, Mikomi released the amber haze around her body and caught the kunai, twirling it to face point down. She slid back to her desk, unaware of the fact that she now had the complete and utter respect of her classmates.

Iruka cleared his throat and decided now would be the perfect time to read off the new genin teams. His interest was particularly peaked by the testing out of a team in which the number of boys and girls would be balanced. Team Seven would have the added advantage of an extra person, but the disadvantage of four different opinions. Why the village leaders had placed _her _in the team as the extra female was surprising.

* * *

Naruto, always the prankster, gently balanced the dusty eraser on the top of the door. It was leaning precariously against the wall, ready to fall on Team Seven's sensei's unsuspecting head.

"Don't be stupid! No self-respecting ninja would let that happen to them! Ninjas are elite and graceful and intelligent," Sakura's shrill voice trailed off with a flirtatious bat of eyelashes at Sasuke. Said subject looked away in disgust, only to spot the clock. Late.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Mikomi's smooth voice interrupted, "Kakashi-sensei is usually careless outside of a battle situation."

"Now, now, don't insult me like that. Don't you have any respect to your teacher? Your guardian who will teach you how to surv--," a tall silver-haired man asked from the doorway, before being cut off by a puff of chalk dust above him.

Everyone's jaws dropped. This teacher was not only late, but careless! What kind of jounin was he supposed to _be?_

"Right, we should introduce ourselves to each other. Let's enjoy some of this morning's fresh air outside, shall we?"

"Afternoon," corrected Mikomi, "Afternoon. Once again, you are late."

"Well, I stopped to help an old lady who had apparently lost her cat. The cat, you see, was really hovering above her head in a tree. It seemed to have a chased a squirrel up there. So, I decided to climb the true and rescue the poor creature. It was a tabby, I believe," their new leader trailed off, realizing that all four sets of mouths in the room were gawking in open disbelief.

"Outside, shall we?" Kakashi asked tentatively. This first impression he had on them had better be wrong.

After settling uncomfortably on the concrete atop a random building in Konoha, the four genin looked up expectantly at Kakashi.

"Let's begin with some introductions. Your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, hobbies, and stuff like that. Volunteers?" he asked with a shrug of his shoulders.

No one responded.

"OK, I'll start. My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to share my likes and dislikes. I have no dreams for the future. My hobbies are private. There, I'm done. Your turn, Naruto."

Eyebrows twitched as Naruto launched in to a lengthy description of his likes and dislikes—all of which were related to ramen. Eyebrows rose when he declared he wanted to surpass all former Hokage and win the village's approval and respect. Eyebrows settled into their accustomed places when he mentioned he was a prankster.

Sasuke's short introduction, in contrast, was characteristically full of angst and darkness. I dislike many things. I like few things. I have an ambition. Blah. Resurrect the clan. Blah. Kill a certain man. Blah.

Sakura picked up quickly where he left off. Despite a strong start, she never finished the sentence about her likes. Quickly regaining speed on the topic of dislikes, she stated a single name. Naruto. Her hobbies remained unknown as she was blushing too deeply to get a word out.

"I like nothing because love leads to betrayal. I hate nothing because I cannot. I want nothing more than to be able to fly again," Mikomi mentioned in a monotone. Her hard eyes softened slightly as she met Kakashi's. Twelve years of understanding stood between them, bridging a gap no one had bridged before. He was the closest to family she had. He was her legal guardian in Konoha, a sentinel the elders had set up to watch her. To take her down if need be.

"OK. Enough of that. We start training tomorrow. Survival training. Get some rest and don't eat breakfast. You might end up losing it," their sensei said, before pulling out some papers and passing them out.

The ninja group split up and left, leaving Mikomi upon the terrace. Her eyes traced patterns in the sky, the sky she could never reach.

* * *

So, tell me what you think. Any criticism is appreciated as I am new to this stuff. I promise to post as soon as possible and lengthen this chapter!

I know, it seems like I want to be in here.

But, no. I don't really like Mary-Sues myself.

Much thanks to _MistBlueFlowers_ for reviewing. I'm sorry about extra capitalization, but I don't really see it. "The Red Gate" is meant to be a name for the gate. I know, cheesy name. Thanks again!


	2. Chapter 2: Kanashii Onsen

**Sadness Springs**

The springs I mention here are hot springs, the types people bathe in.

* * *

Sunlight glared through the curtains around Naruto's messy bedcovers, highlighting his unusually bright hair. Today was the first day he would really wear his forehead protector. He was almost to the refrigerator when he remembered that breakfast was meant to be skipped—according to Kakashi-sensei. His recent incidents of upset stomach from spoiled milk reminded him of the million ways he would definitely throw up.

After carefully readjusting his forehead protector for the umpteenth time, he grabbed his weapons and opened the door.

This _is_ what it feels like to be a ninja.

Excitement coursed through every fiber of his being when he arrived at Training Ground 7-G. Everyone else had already arrived before him. Sasuke was pacing a path through the grass. Sakura was curled up against a tree, contemplating whether she should've skipped breakfast or not. Mikomi was absentmindedly twirling a kunai, one that had tasted the blood of thousands.

Correction. Everyone except Kakashi. Late again.

He proceeded to sit down and wait for their tardy teacher.

* * *

"Get a bell, get lunch. Don't get a bell, I'll tie you to one of those stumps over there and make you watch me eat lunch. Got it? Good, let's start."

The timer started ticking as Kakashi slammed a single black gloved hand down on it. Everyone sensible had proceeded to hide themselves. Naruto, on the other hand, was not so sensible.

"COME AND FIGHT ME!" he bellowed, frothy flecks of spit shooting from his mouth in a great show of bravado. Sighing, Kakashi knew it would be a horribly long wait till noon came around. He pulled out a favorite copy of Icha Icha Paradise. Left hand block. Flip a page. Crouch. Shift.

_Tiger_.

"Ninja Lesson #1: Taijutsu," he chimed in cheerily before sending Naruto's unsuspecting behind into the air and water. A large splash resounded in the quiet clearing, warning the genins of his supreme strength.

Two wet shuriken slid through the air with practiced precision, aiming for his masked face. He caught them, twirling them around to a stop. Eight clones shot out of the water in quick succession.

Naruto smirked. Never let it be said that he couldn't become Hokage.

The battle raged on. One by one, they fell. Naruto first. Sakura next. Sasuke after that. One more left.

_Crap. She's been waiting for me to tire myself out._

Kakashi left hand went to his side automatically, checking to make sure that both bells still hung there. His eyes wandered off of the book in his hand to the timer. There was only a half hour left till noon. She would have to attack soon.

The first blow struck him like a cannon ball. The base of her palm had smashed into his shoulder, sending shocks of pain through his body.

The second blow he saw and managed to block with his forearm. He could feel the chakra that pulsed through Mikomi's open palm. He could feel it invading his body, shutting down tenketsu here and there. Disappearing for a few seconds, Kakashi took the time to reopen his closed chakra points.

The third blow was one he dealt to her. It was avoided easily as she ducked into a crouch, rolling smoothly to his left side. With kunai in hand she swiped at the bells. He blocked with a kunai of his own.

Out of nowhere, a flash of pink hair appeared, temporarily blinding him. The fateful swish of Sakura's kunai was heard and he jumped away. Checking his side, he smirked. Only one left for the boys to battle over. He watched through a single eye, crinkled with a sincere smile, as Sakura and Mikomi high-fived each other. They burst out into bubbly laughter as the timer went off.

"That was fun," Sakura said, a smile still splitting her face, "Did you see the look on Sasuke-kun's face when we took the bells? God, I'm going to remember that forever."

"Poor boys, they'll have live off of the scents of our lunches." Mikomi watched as Kakashi dragged a murderous Uchiha and thrashing Uzumaki to the wooden pillars nearby.

Kakashi settled down in front of the boys. Time to lecture on teamwork.

"You two just couldn't figure out the point of this exercise did you? If you had teamed up with each other or with the girls, neither of you would be sitting here starving."

"I'm not starving," Naruto yelled, about to launch into a diatribe. He closed his mouth though, when a large gurgle came from his stomach.

"Crap, I am hungry."

"Anyways, Mikomi, Sakura, don't give either of them any food. I'll have to send both of them back to the academy. You guys should just quit. You won't be able to become Hokage. You won't be able to kill who you're after either. There are no second chances. Either you live, or you die. You two aren't ready to be real ninjas." With a single puff of white smoke, he disappeared.

Sasuke winced just slightly. Damn it, even _Uchihas_ had to eat. But, he wasn't about to beg. He had to be—

His train of thought came to an abrupt, screeching halt as he felt warm fingers ghost over an elbow.

"What are you doing?" he shot in an icy hiss at Mikomi.

"Shut up. I'm cutting the ropes," she answered in a nonchalant way. He watched in silence and shock, as she finished and moved over to Naruto. After several moments of careful sawing, the ropes around his team mate came free.

"Eat. I had my breakfast." Mikomi opened her bento box and handed it to Naruto, who dug in quickly. She opened the other bento box and handed it to Sasuke. He didn't accept it, waiting for Kakashi to show up and doom them all.

"Kakashi didn't poison it. I checked. Now, eat."

"Ah, Mikomi-san, why are you doing this? Didn't sensei specifically say not to feed them anything?" Sakura asked hesitantly, her green eyes checking the surroundings for above mentioned jounin. Only the wind whispered back in response.

"You should never let a team mate down. That's the whole point of this excerciese. Can't you see? That's almost as bad as betraying them directly. I can't do that," she said, eyes suddenly open and full of hurt. Why did it always hurt this bad? Why?

"Mikomi, I'm sure you heard me properly. Rules are rules. You know, for anything that happens there are consequences. Now, it is time to accept the consequences," Kakashi's voice spoke from behind her, a voice soft with menace.

His one exposed eye openly glared at the four genins in his charge.

As one, they gulped.

"YOU."

"GUYS."

…

"Pass. Congratulations on making it through survival training. Enjoy your lunches and make sure to remember the lesson you learned today. Tomorrow, we will begin our duties. You can leave now. Have a nice day."

Still rather shocked from his sudden declaration of passing, they hurried out of the training grounds at full speed—intent on leaving their insane sensei behind. When only he and Mikomi were left in the small clearing, he turned to her.

"This is for you," Kakashi spoke smoothly while pressing a small red scroll into Mikomi's hand. A wrinkle of consternation appeared on her forehead as her eyes scanned down the parchment.

She loathed seduction missions. Yet, here was another A-Rank for her to go on.

Kakashi sighed, before placing a single comforting thumb against her forehead. He tenderly smoothed out the rumple between her eyebrows. Face still masked, he placed a soothing kiss on the top of her head.

He was the first person she'd let through who hadn't betrayed her. He was the first person who'd seen her as a human being, though she was as far from it as could be. He was the father figure she had never known. Enfolded in his warm embrace, she felt one thin layer of ice on her heart melt for a few moments.

The moment he let go, it slid right back into place.

* * *

For the next couple of days, Mikomi spent her time in Cloud. It had taken only a short while to hatch a plausible story and get close to her target. He was a well-built former ninja who had been causing trouble with the borders of the Fire Country, staging raids every couple of weeks and destroying ninja.

A hand closed provocatively on her behind and she looked up, a squeal coming from her delicate red lips when he squeezed.

"Hana-chan, all this planning tires me. Let's have a night of relaxation in my bedroom, shall we?"

"Whatever pleases you, Shimo-sama," she simpered, acting the innocent prude.

She'd gained enough information snooping around; it was time to end this. End the dirty looks and touches. End this man's dirty little life.

Trained in the art of silent killing, Mikomi broke his neck with a quiet snap when he reached for the _obi_ of her _kimono_.

* * *

She needed to get to the hot springs soon, there she could wash the touch of his lecherous fingers from her skin and relax. She would join Team 7 after her visit to Sadness Springs. That's what she had nicknamed the Seijou Springs. There, her past caught up to her and she replayed the passing of her clan, her entire people.

Bumping into Sasuke jolted her from her thoughts. She smiled a genuine smile, the first in days. He grunted in response, before stopping. Grabbing her arm rather forcefully, he stopped her too.

"Are you alright? Kakashi said you were sick." He scanned her face for any signs of illness.

"Since when did you start caring about others?" she joked sarcastically, wanting to cover up her mission.

"Since I became Naruto's team mate. The things that stupid dobe does... But, you still haven't answered my question," he finished with a glare.

The crown on her head tightened. _You cannot lie. You cannot hurt._

"Kakashi lied. I had a mission. I have to get going, so if you'll let go…" she trailed off, eyes shifting to his hand on her forearm.

Surprised with the contact he had with the silk fabric of her robe, he let go and continued on his way to the formal Uchiha residence.

Her heart had lifted from that single encounter. Even the coldest member on her team was worried about her absence; maybe this time would be different. Maybe she could open up and spill the secret knowledge she had. The knowledge that explained why she had no parents, why she had no past, why she had no future.

No. That wasn't right.

If she tried hard enough, maybe she would be accepted by the people around her. Even earn their love. With a bright smile on her face, she checked in at the receptionist's desk and rented a locker.

Sinking into the warm waters of the Opal Pool, she felt hope. Hope, like her namesake.

* * *

Yay, chappie is finally done!

In case anyone is wondering, Kakashi is her legal guardian in Konoha. I mentioned that in the first chapter, but wasn't sure if the message was clear enough. Yes, they love each other. But, it's like a father-daughter relationship. Don't think like THAT. It's dirty. ; Yeah, I know.

_Hana, _I believe means flower or blossom. _Shimo_ is short for _Shimofuri_, which means grey. _Seijou_ means clean. Again, if anyone can help with the Japanese I plan to use to make this fic more authentic, please speak up. I know I suck.

Also, in case you have noticed, I will try to follow the real timeline of Naruto. This story will include most events that are in the actual series.

Review and leave me some constructive criticism. I beg you too.

Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3: Hana Tahata

**Flower Fields**

I spent a lot of time on this chapter, so sorry that it's kind of late. Milk Chocolate will be updated soon! I know I've promised some of you I would add another chapter by last week, but things have really been hectic.

Much thanks for your patience and wonderful reviews!

* * *

"LET'S GO! Now, _this_ is a real ninja mission. If anybody threatens you gramps, I'll beat them up like this!" Naruto finished with several showy kicks and punches.

Deciding that the best course of action was to ignore Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke quickened their paces and caught up to their new bridge-building client, who was chatting amicably with Mikomi.

"Um, sensei, do you think we'll really do any fighting?" Sakura asked, chewing the edge of her bottom lip. Inner Sakura groaned. Lazy old geezer Hokage had assigned them to another stupid mission. Only this time, they would be walking their butts off to Wave.

"Nah, C-ranks shouldn't involve any ninja combat. Perhaps an occasional run-in with bandits and thieves."

Kakashi was cut off by a string of loud curses. Naruto had stepped into a murky puddle. Removing his foot had caused quite a hassle and when the earth finally relinquished its hold with a loud squelch, it was obvious that the puddle was murky _and_ muddy.

And dangerous.

Two silent shadows of black and grey emerged from the pool of water and solidified into the famed Demon Brothers, one of the best chunnin teams of the Mist.

"One down." Kakashi burst into bits of flesh and blood.

"Two down." A drop of sweat slid down Naruto's temple.

Sasuke frowned. They were in a compromised position. Kakashi was gone or dead. Naruto would soon be dead. He, Sakura, and Mikomi were a rather disadvantaged three against two. Deciding the dobe's death would only complicate things, he pulled out a kunai and shuriken.

Oh, alright. Naruto wasn't that bad.

Two dull thuds and a sudden weight on the spiked chain the ninja were using caused them to look up. Sasuke transferred his weight off of his feet and flipped onto one of the metal attachments to their arms. He grunted from exertion and painfully twisted his opponent's forearm, satisfied with the gruesome pop of a dislocated shoulder. A quick check over his shoulder revealed their client to be perfectly fine, albeit terrified at the combat. Mikomi and Sakura were fighting only a few feet away in an astounding display of telepathic understanding. Their two kunai slashed downwards in a synchronized dance, cutting a deep V into the vulnerable flesh of an exposed neck. He crumpled to the ground.

Situation under control.

Not.

The moment Sasuke's head flicked back to its original position, he realized he shouldn't have let his guard down. The weapons he had used to pin his enemy to the tree had loosened and clattered to the ground. A gigantic aluminum-alloyed cylinder was hurtling in his direction. It was too late to duck. Too late to dodge. Closing his eyes and readying his body for the impact, he did not cringe.

A splatter of warm liquid stained his shirt and he opened his eyes, expecting the sudden pain of a crushed arm or broken fingers. It was only after several moments had passed that he realized what had wet his attire was not his blood. He wasn't even sure if the liquid gold that rolled around in the depressions of his palms was blood.

It was Mikomi's.

Her body was only inches away. A strong kick to the groin removed the inch long steel claws buried deep in her shoulder. The hired assassin's body was caught effortlessly by Kakashi and tied up to one of several sturdy oaks in the grove.

"Oh my god, oh my god, are you okay?" Sakura asked, words spilling out of her mouth at a mile a minute. She left their client's side and charged towards Mikomi, bearing down with a backpack of medical salves, creams, and gauze.

"I'm fine. I just need to change." A look of disgust crossed her face at the sight of her ruined shirt.

A lock of shock passed across Sakura's face. The smooth skin of Mikomi's shoulder was perfect and unscarred. No gaping holes from the recent injury she had sustained showed.

"Y-Your shoulder," she stuttered out, pointing a shaking index finger in Mikomi's direction, "I thought you got hit! What happened? How come it's normal?"

Silence.

These were dangerous questions. Loaded questions that could send her new found team mates panicking. Deciding to sidestep the issue, she hoisted her pack onto the shoulder in question and walked away into the woods.

"What was that for?" a very perturbed Sasuke called after her receding back.

She turned around, sensing his confusion.

"If you put your ass on the line for your team mates, shouldn't your team mates be there to save it for you when you need help?"

Kakashi finished binding the ninja to a tree and a serious expression colored his face. What would Mist be doing so close to Konoha?

"Tazuna-san. Is there anything you would like to explain about this mission? Those ninjas are from the hidden Mist. I was observing from nearby and noticed that they were here to target you. Now, what could they possibly want with a simple bridge builder?" Kakashi asked, breaking the silence with his clipped tone.

Several beads of moisture fell from the old man's sideburns and he grimaced. His village couldn't afford to pay for an A or B-ranked mission. The heavy silence in the air was unpleasantly disapproving and he took a swig of beer for lack of anything better to do.

"I'm sure you have your reasons. But, having our village believe in such fallacies results in consequences. As a result, we are in over our heads. It might be wise to cancel this mission and return to the village. I'm sure we'll be able to find some other group more acceptable to your needs. Besides, Naruto will need treatment for that poisoned wound."

Naruto looked down in surprise at the rivulets of dirty blood pouring from a wound he had sustained. He'd been so scared he hadn't even noticed his now aching hand.

Damn it.

He'd promised himself to never fail again. He'd promised himself the title of Hokage. How would people acknowledge him if he couldn't even complete a mission like this?

He couldn't fail again, couldn't bear to face it. There was enough hate in the world.

Pulling out a kunai with his shaky right hand, he stabbed himself.

He felt the glorious cleansing of contempt from his system. The open mouths and dropped jaws were a balm to his hurt pride. Catharsis delights even the darkest of sinners. Then, he swore.

"I swear by the pain in my left hand, with this kunai, that I will protect you, gramps! We're continuing this mission!"

Mikomi smirked. Idiot.

She emerged from behind a tree and bent down, tugging Naruto's hand into hers. Sakura instinctively rushed forward and unwrapped a few inches of sterilized dressings and pressed them into Mikomi's open hand. The smiled at each other and Mikomi realized the team had decided to respect her delay in answering their questions. Deciding that healing Naruto via chakra would only arouse more suspicion, she gently dabbed antiseptic onto the edges of the wound and bandaged it up. The remaining traces of poison in Naruto's system would be flushed out naturally.

The rest of the trip was disturbingly uneventful, calm like the eye of a hurricane. Everyone could sense the mounting unease and no one smiled anymore. To add to the complications of another attack, her body was telling her that the time of greatest weakness was approaching. She couldn't risk endangering the whole team. Should she sustain an injury during the ancient ritual of _Umarekawari_, she would be immobile and incompetent for days. It was what separated her from humans. It was the great secret that emptied her heart.

* * *

But, life often becomes the most adverse when one wants difficulties the least.

Momochi Zabuza can certainly be counted as a difficulty in life.

Kakashi reached up calmly and lifted his forehead protector, revealing the special doujutsu the Uchiha clan had passed to him, a gift from a fallen comrade. He would really need Obito's help this time. He had people to protect, people that had grown on him and reminded him so much of his old team.

So much.

A fallen leaf settled onto the deceptively calm waters as Zabuza formed a seal.

_Ninpou Kirigakure no Jutsu. Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Technique._

A thick white mist rose up off of the water surface and formed an opaque cocoon around the leaf ninjas. Suddenly lost in the cold, Sasuke shivered. Sakura's kunai shook as Naruto took in a deep, unsteady breath. Mikomi took a smaller step forward than she usually would have. Their protective diamond was focused on Tazuna with one objective, to keep him alive. The intensity of the lust for blood and love of the kill hung, a secondary mist that shook everyone.

"Don't worry, I don't let my comrades die," Kakashi consoled. He'd lost his first team, he couldn't lose his second one.

"Hn. It's over. Let them die. You won't be too far behind yourself," Zabuza sibilated, the quiet hiss of his throaty voice causing gooseflesh to form across their backs and arms.

Kakashi shifted slightly before reappearing in front of Zabuza and stabbing a kunai into his opponent's gut. The water clone burst and the real Zabuza swung his head-severing blade. Supported by his well-muscled torso, the cleaver was as easy to maneuver as a kitchen knife. It sliced clean through Kakashi's midsection and drew a collective gasp from the genins.

The false body the Leaf nin had created disappeared in a cascade of water and Zabuza felt the coolness of a kunai slide across his neck.

"Don't move. It's over."

"It's never over, Kakashi. You can't defeat me with your cheap imitations! I'm not just called the devil because of my looks."

Kakashi's eyes widened as the form in front of him burst too. A cool kunai slid across the sensitive skin of his neck. Zabuza slashed his great sword through the air during the time his opponent was recovering from his shock. With automatic movements programmed into his system, Kakashi crouched and rolled to the side. Seeing through a feint, he thrust his knee upwards. A follow-through with his foot ensured that Kakashi tumbled into the water.

_Dragon._

Spreading his fingers until only the tips of his index and thumb rubbed against each other's corresponding twin.

A transparent water prison rose from the pond they were fighting by and encased the Leaf jounin.

"A special technique I developed, Kakashi. You should feel honored I'm applying it to you. It's much easier to kill your precious genins without you interfering. Brat, you first." Zabuza jabbed a single finger in Naruto's direction and watched as a water clone sent a vicious punch towards him. Naruto, unprepared for the sudden strength such elite jounins could apply, skidded against the ground several times before coming to a stop.

Damn it all. He'd promised to never lose.

"Sasuke, lend me your ear. I have a plan."

"_You_ have a plan? Unlikely, dobe."

"Shut up and listen, teme. It's time to get wild."

* * *

Red devil Momochi Zabuza looked down at his hands. It had been too long since he had last seen, _smelled_, TASTED blood. He mashed his foot cruelly into Sasuke's chest, causing the beautiful liquid to roll from his mouth and trace a path down his royal chin. Mikomi twitched. If she left to defend him, Sakura would be the sole layer of protection between Tazuna and Zabuza. As it was, their two-sided barrier of human flesh had too many loopholes already. A risk she couldn't take yet.

Charging forward, Naruto formed the customary cross of _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu _(Shadow Clone Technique)with his dirty fingers. It was time to put his plan into action.

The strips of cloth masking Zabuza's face shifted into a satanic grin. All the better, he would have more bodies to massacre and savor. He let the clones dive in on him, let them obscure his view before slicing through them. How delicious were the expressions of suffering.

Unnoticed and unseen, Naruto rummaged around in his bag and tossed a heavy Fuuma shuriken he'd received as a present from Mikomi and Sakura on his birthday. Catching it with a single hand, Sasuke spread the different blades out—forming a windmill.

Jumping high in the air to give himself a clear range of vision, Sasuke aimed and fired. The weapon hurtled past the water clone and locked on to the real Zabuza, still controlling Kakashi in a water prison.

As expected, Zabuza caught the shuriken. Slightly surprised by the shadow shuriken following unseen, he jumped above it. Not enough to defeat him.

"Tsk, tsk, you shouldn't play with what you can't control. Are you sure you taught them well, Copy Nin Kakashi?" Zabuza jabbed, unaware that the shuriken he dodged had not lodged itself in a tree. It had in fact, reverted in a puff of smoke to Naruto. The Hokage hopeful thrust a single kunai at the unsuspecting Zabuza. Too late to block it, he had to remove his hand from the water prison he was controlling and shift away.

A perfect cut across Zabuza's cheek oozed red blood.

Sweet, sweet blood.

Kakashi, a demon in his own right, stood up from the water and blocked with a kunai. The two enemies backed away from each other, balancing on the surface of the water.

_Tiger._

_Monkey._

_Dragon._

_Ram._

Perfectly copied. Could Kakashi see the future?

_Tiger._

_Monkey._

_Dragon._

_Ram._

His own jutsu thrown back at him.

"It's over. You're going to die."

He was going to die.

Two senbon hurtled out of nowhere and buried themselves in the Mist Demon's neck. Without so much as a sigh, Zabuza collapsed to the ground. A stranger clad in the traditional robes of a Mist ANBU hunter-nin jumped down. He didn't bother with an introduction.

"You're right. He _is_ dead. I have to dispose of the body. Farewell." In a swirl of leaves, the newly-arrived ninja disappeared with Zabuza slung on his back.

"Right! SUPER THANKS! We'll go to my house and relax a bit, how does that sound?" Tazuna replied. His over cheerfulness grated against everyone's already frayed nerves.

Suddenly feeling fatigued, Kakashi's body gave way.

_Aah…so this was why the crown had kept her from fighting._

Mikomi kneeled down and untied the knot at the back of Kakashi's head. Shoving the forehead protector onto the ground, she hoisted his head into her lap. Visually examining his left eye for several seconds revealed severe damage to the optical nerves. His chakra reserves were also drained near empty. The long process of healing would be best left until they arrived at a much more secure and comfortable place. The only thing to do right now was to pump some chakra into him and take him home.

She hoisted him up on one shoulder and winced at the strain it took to mix energies and create chakra to bear the extra weight. She would need to find and secure a place for the Rebirth to take place. A nearby field of flowers they had passed through flashed through her mind. Suitable.

On the way to Tazuna's residence, they passed through the flowers again. Deciding to stop and gather some of the medicinal blossoms to brew some tea, Mikomi shifted Kakashi's dead weight to Naruto.

Sasuke watched his surroundings warily. A shinobi should always be ready for an attack. Momentarily calmed by the sweet scent of harmony, he turned his attention to the members of his team. Naruto was looking suspiciously at Kakashi. Kakashi was snoozing on and off. Tazuna had pulled out several scrolls of blue prints for his construction project. Sakura was quietly pressing golden chrysanthemums in between sheets of rice paper and folding them up. And Mikomi?

She was caught in between this world and another. The golden glow from millions of yellow petals had changed the tan of her skin to amber. The way she was rushing through the grasses with her arms stretched out reminded him of one of the stories his mother used to tell him, so long ago in another life. The tragic tale of the phoenix of the heavens.

He rolled his eyes in contempt. That fairytale was exactly what it was. A fairytale.

How close to the truth, yet so far.

* * *

_Umarekawari_ means "rebirth" or "reincarnation". I know I like to leave stuff on cliffhangers. Everything about Mikomi's mysterious past will be relayed and explained to you in the next chapter or two. First, I'll tell you guys the 'secret'. Then, I'll tell Team 7.

How were the fight scenes? I hope I described it in well enough detail. If you have troubles just check out the manga chapters 10-20? It should be around there.

Review if you want to! It is much appreciated.


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